


Bottles & Broomsticks

by uponashelf



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gryffindor, Gryffindor Common Room, Seven Minutes In Heaven Game, Spin the Bottle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:08:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29211681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uponashelf/pseuds/uponashelf
Summary: Olivia has always valued George as a friend, but a party in the Gryffindor Common Room makes her realize she wants much more than friendship.
Relationships: George Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Lee Jordan/Alicia Spinnet
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Some canon divergence.

“Would you just pick a shirt, already? This is a party, not tea with the Minister of Magic,” Alicia Spinnet groaned, laying flat on her bed and staring at the ceiling of their dormitory. 

Olivia examined herself in the mirror, she had been trying to decide between a maroon or white blouse to wear with her black skirt for the past fifteen minutes. She was currently wearing the maroon one. “You’re sure this looks, okay?” She turned to Alicia.

Alicia waved her hand at her, “It looks nice. Can we go now? The party started half an hour ago.”

“Sorry,” Olivia reached out and pulled Alicia up by her hands off the bed. “We can go now,” she said cheerfully.

Following Alicia out the door, they climbed down the narrow staircase that led to the Gryffindor common room. Loud music and laughter greeted them when they reached the last step. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were packed into the common room, all there to celebrate Gryffindor’s victory over Slytherin in the final Quidditch match of the year. It had been a close call. Olivia had been at the edge of her seat the whole game, watching her friends speed by on their broomsticks and dodge bludgers with perfected perscisson. 

“Olivia! Alicia! Over here!” Their friend Angelina called to them from the corner of the room that housed the drinks table. Katie Bell was by her side, taking a swig of her drink. 

Alicia and Olivia navigated their way to the other two girls, managing not to bump into any of the dancing party goers. Olivia caught sight of two familiar red headed boys in the middle of the crowd. Her friends, Fred and George, had broken out their craziest dance moves, limbs flailing and heads bobbing to the beat of the music. George paused, having noticed her. 

“Oi, Olivia! Come dance with us!” He shouted to her, his voice barely reaching her over the noise of the party. 

Olivia cupped her hands around her mouth. “Getting a drink first!” She pointed to where Angelina, Katie, and Alicia waited for her. 

George grinned, eyes twinkling, “Grab me another bottle, then!”

Olivia gave him a thumbs up and carried on her path. She at last reached the drinks table, narrowly avoiding getting spilled on by a fifth year Ravenclaw. 

“What are you drinking tonight?” Angelina asked her as she approached, gesturing to the drinks.

The table had the usual assortment: a spiked punch in someone’s old cauldron, shots of firewhiskey, various beers and alcoholic butterbeer. 

“Butterbeer, please,” Olivia grinned. She loved the stuff!

Angelina passed her a bottle. “Cheers,” she said as she clinked her drink to Oliva’s. 

Oliva took a sip. The butterbeer was ice cold, it’s sweet taste awakening her taste buds. “Congratulations on the win!” She said to Angelina and Katie. “I didn’t get to say it after the game. You both were amazing!” She had already congratulated Alicia as they had gotten ready for the party. 

Alicia beamed, “What was amazing was seeing Slytherin’s faces after Harry caught the snitch. Priceless.”

“I don’t think Malfoy will ever recover,” Katie giggled, eyes sparkling. 

“ _ My father will hear about this, _ ” Angelina mocked, putting on an excellent Malfoy impression. The girls all laughed, Malfoy was a common joke among them. 

When the laughter died, Katie turned to Oliva, “Think you’ll try out for the team next year? It’s your last chance to get in on beating Slytherin.” 

Olivia chuckled, “I don’t think so. You know I’m hopeless on a broom. Remember first year flying lessons?”

“ _ Guys! Guys! This is way too high! _ ” Alicia exclaimed, imitating a first year Olivia, her eyes clenched shut.

Angelina laughed, almost choking on her drink, “Merlin, yes! She was barely two inches off the ground!”

Olivia smiled fondly, despite being in Gryffindor, she had never gotten over her fear of heights. “Yeah, I think I better just cheer you all on from the stands next year.”

“I’ll be cheering when I finally get another drink,” a familiar voice teased from behind Olivia. 

She spun around, “I’m sorry, George! I got talking and forgot.” 

George grinned, rumpling her brown hair, “I forgive you, Shorty.”

“Hey!” Olivia swatted his hand away. He always insisted on messing with her hair, despite her half hearted protests. She playfully glared up at George, “And I’m not that short.” A lie, she was barely 5’3”.

“Typical, she’s in denial,” George chuckled, squeezing her shoulder. Olivia’s cheeks grew warm. When he removed his freckled hand, her skin lightly tingled. 

Olivia took another sip of her butterbeer, trying to focus on her friends’ conversation about the game. Time was flying so fast. Seventh year was beginning in only a few short months. She should be savoring every second she had with her friends, but she felt her focus drifting. The proximity to George was consuming her. Her eyes wandered to his forearms. They were exposed, his shirt sleeves rolled up, freckles sprinkled across his skin. She glanced up. A huge grin was dazzling on his face, his brown eyes bright as he laughed at something Alicia had said. The sound of it was delightful to her ears.  _ I could listen to his laugh all day… _

Olivia blinked rapidly, face directed toward the bottle in her hands. What was wrong with her? She shouldn’t be having these sorts of thoughts for one of her oldest friends. Especially George. 

“Olivia, you good?” Alicia placed a hand on her shoulder, having noticed Olivia’s baffled expression. 

“I’m good, I’m good,” Olivia quickly assured her, patting Alicia’s hand. 

George glanced down at her, giving her a small concerned frown. Before he could say anything, a face identical to his popped over his shoulder. 

“Well aren’t you all just a wild bunch,” Fred smirked, reaching past George to grab a shot of Firewhiskey, which he downed in a blink of an eye. “What sort of exciting conversation am I missing out on?”

“Just going over the highlights of the game,” Angelina stated.

“Riveting stuff! But Lee and I had an idea to make this party a bit more interesting.” Fred grinned gleefully. 

“What did you two have in mind?” Katie asked cautiously. No one ever knew what to expect when it came to Fred’s ideas. 

“I was thinking we could gather a small group and get a wholesome game of spin the bottle going,” Fred winked. Clearly this idea was anything but wholesome. 

“I’ll play,” Alicia finished off the rest of her drink and handed the empty bottle to Fred. 

Fred nodded in appreciation, gripping the bottle tightly, “Excellent.” He glanced at the rest of their small circle, “The rest of you in?”

The others all agreed, while Olivia hesitated. 

“Maybe I’ll just sit this out,” she shifted her feet. An image of watching George’s spin landing on some faceless girl flashed in her mind, making her stomach twist.  _ What is wrong with me? _

George smiled encouragingly, “Come on, Olivia. It’ll be a laugh!” He placed an arm around her shoulder, “You can sit next to me if you aren’t feeling brave.”

Olivia gave him a small smile. Ever since she had met George, he had helped her to face her fears and insecurities. There was the time in third year in Care for Magical Creatures that their class had to feed Grindylows. Professor Kettleburn had the whole class take small boats out to the middle of the lake with buckets of dead fish. Olivia had been paired up with Fred and George, enjoying herself as the twins joked and paddled the boat. But as soon as Professor Kettleburn got up and demonstrated how to hold out a dead fish over the water and the first cluster of Grindylows had appeared, Olivia had panicked. She could picture herself leaning too far over the side of the boat, Grindylows gathering around her, pulling her down to the bottom of the lake. Her lungs burning for air. George had seen her panic and taken a seat beside her, acting as a comforting presence. “”I’ll help you if you aren’t feeling brave,” he had said. Not an ounce of judgement in his voice. 

That’s what Olivia appreciated about George the most. He never judged her or made her feel less for being afraid. There had been many times over the years that she had felt like a poor excuse for a Gryffindor. She was afraid of heights, afraid of strange creatures, afraid of failing. But George was always there. Providing assurances that being a Gryffindor didn’t mean never being scared, it meant facing the things that scared you. 

Olivia looked up at George and sighed in resignation, “Fine, I’ll do it!”

George squeezed her shoulder, “Excellent! It’ll be fun, I promise.” 

Alicia turned to her friends, “We should get that one Ravenclaw from Charms in on it. Bet he would jump at the chance to snog you.” She winked at Olivia. 

Olivia felt George stiffen for a second. But he seemed to shake it off, taking her hand and leading her through the crowd. “Let’s get on with it,” he stated flatly. His usual carefree tone momentarily absent. Alicia followed closely behind. 

Fred had managed to coerce some of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs to join in on the game, clearing enough space in front of the common room’s fireplace so that they were able to squeeze a group of eighteen in a circle. 

While the players settled onto the carpet, Fred, George and Lee remained standing. 

“Alright, alright, alright!” Fred exclaimed cheerfully. “As much as I want to believe that we all have enough experience to know the rules, for Katie’s sake, I think we had better review.”

“Hey!” Katie called indignantly from across the circle. 

Fred grinned cheekily, “Just kidding, Bell. All in good fun!” He held up the empty bottle that Alicia had given him earlier, “Now, it’s simple really. We will go around the circle, each giving the bottle one spin. I repeat! One spin! Whomever the bottle rests on, shall have to pucker up for the spinner.”

“A few disclaimers,” George interjected, “Nothing incestious. Let’s have some good, clean fun. As much as I’m sure you’d love to see Fred and me snog, Johnson.”

Angelina groaned and threw a pillow directly at George’s head. George managed to catch it at the last second, “Kidding, Johnson, kidding!” He tossed the pillow back to her, “That being said, let loose. Keep it at least PG.” He winked flirtatiously to the group. 

“As a bonus,” Lee added, “when we get to the second round, every seventh spinner is going to be locked into the broom cupboard for…”

“Seven minutes in heaven,” all three of the boys exclaimed in unison. 

Groans and excited giggles gathered among the circle. Olivia felt apprehension growing in her belly. Spin the bottle was a beast onto itself, but adding seven minutes in heaven to mix was like taking on three mountain trolls in a fist fight. Daunting and bound to end tragically. 

“Now let the games begin!” Fred shouted, setting the bottle in the center of the circle. 

George settled down next to Olivia and nudged her arm with his elbow. “Ready for a laugh?” he whispered excitedly.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Olivia said as she took a swig of her drink, hoping some liquid courage would get her through this game. 

The first round went quickly, the most noteworthy pairing being Fred and Lee. They had made light of the situation, acting out a dramatic scene one could expect from a muggle drama. When they had leaned in to kiss, at the last second Fred perked up and pressed a kiss to Lee’s forehead, earning discontented groans from their audience.

On Olivia’s own turn, she had shared a chaste kiss on the cheek with Angelina. Several boys had made their annoyance known, moaning about rule breaking. They were quickly shut down by an icy glare from Angelina. 

George’s spin had landed on a girl from Ravenclaw named Cassia. It had been a brief kiss, much to Olivia’s surprise and Cassia’s disappointment. 

Fred hopped up at the start of the second round “If you can’t take the heat, swap out!” He declared. A few people got up from the circle and were replaced by a few students that had gathered to watch the fun. One of the newcomers was the Ravenclaw boy from Charms.  _ Merlin, what is his name? David? Daniel? Douglas? Yes, Douglas! _ Olivia felt bad that she could never remember his name, but while she could remember every ingredient needed for a Pepperup Potion, names always seemed to evade her.

George shifted next to her, pulling himself off the floor. He gently ruffled Olivia’s hair, “Hey, I think I’m going to sit this one out and go-” 

He was cut off as Fred noticed that his twin had stood. “Oi, George! Sit your ass back down! Game’s not over yet.” He shouted. 

George glared back at Fred, “Can’t I take a break?”

“Break denied,” Fred retorted. “Sit back down!”

George groaned and sank to the floor in resignation. 

Olivia leaned over to him, placing a comforting hand on his back, “You don’t have to keep playing, George. Just go.”

He sighed, “No, it’s fine. It’ll be quick.”

She was about to remind him that it would not be quick as the second round was going to have the added seven minutes in heaven portion, but Fred got up to spin the bottle, drawing George’s attention away from her. 

As Olivia had predicted, this round of spin the bottle did not pass quickly. She felt George grow steadily more agitated as the game progressed, wiggling his foot restlessly. Lee ended up being the seventh one in the circle. The players were silent in anticipation as the bottle spun, landing on Alicia! Before anyone could say otherwise, they were promptly thrusted into the broom closet for their seven minutes in heaven. Olivia could hear Alicia and Lee’s muffled arguing through the closet door. Neither seemed enthusiastic. Suddenly, there was silence from within the closet. Suggestive glances and cat calls were shared among the players.  _ How awkward for them _ . Olivia did not envy her fellow Gryffindors. She would die if she had to kiss someone with a whole party right outside the door. 

“Seven minutes is up! Let ‘em out!” Fred hollered to the students closest to the door. 

The door was thrown open, exposing Lee and Alicia for all to see! They were pulled in a tight embrace, Lee having pushed her back against the closet wall. Alica, noticing that their moment was no longer private, pushed Lee off of her and promptly exited the closet. Cheers and whistles from the group greeted her. Lee climbed out with a cocky grin on his face, the kiss must have been nice on his end. 

Fred managed to direct everyone back to the circle and the game continued. As a red haired Hufflepuff girl took the next turn, Olivia counted out each seventh turn.  _ Lee, Lisel from Hufflepuff, George…  _ She glanced at George from the corner of her eye. Had he figured that out as well?  _ Maybe that’s why he had wanted to skip the second round.  _

It was now Douglas’ turn. Olivia could feel his eyes on her as the bottle spun. She rubbed at the back of her neck, she didn’t really want to kiss him, she hardly knew him. As the bottle slowed, Olivia’s eyes widened. It had landed on her!

She sat, stunned, tuning out the egging on of Alicia, Angelina and Katie. Douglas approached her, offering his hand to help her up. She took it hesitantly, rising slowly to her feet. Her heart was racing. Glancing at George, she saw that his face was impassive. Olivia wasn’t sure how she wanted him to be reacting in this moment. Encouraging her would have been the friendly thing to do. Looking bothered would have appeased the secret desire that Olivia kept tight to her chest. His lack of any emotion troubled her. 

Douglas took both of Olivia’s hands, his palms were sweaty. Olivia let him.  _ This is a game. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s a kissing game. I should let this happen.  _

But she couldn’t. Not with George right behind her. 

“Ready?” Douglas asked her quietly. It was hard to hear him over the noise of the other players’ excitement. 

Before she could even respond, he was leaning in, eyes closed. 

Olivia didn’t have time to think before her body reacted. She pulled her hands free from his, grasping his thin shoulders. She quickly placed a kiss on his forehead, her eyes as wide as a moon calf’s. She let go of Douglas, then promptly turned and sat back down. 

Laughter erupted from the circle as Douglas stood dumbfounded. As the shock faded, he stared down at Olivia, hurt plain on his face. When he went to sit back down, the players to either side of him patted his back good naturedly in an attempt to lift his spirits. 

George leaned closer to Olivia. “Didn’t go for it, I see,” he said as the game continued. 

Olivia looked into his eyes and shrugged. “His breath smelled bad,” she lied. 

The second seven minutes in heaven passed and soon it was Olivia’s turn again. She would never admit to it, but she cheated. They had been practicing wandless magic in charms. She used the same techniques from class to allow the spinning bottle to land where she wanted: Katie. A safe choice. No one seemed aware of the bottle manipulation as she rose to meet Katie. They kissed each other’s cheeks twice before returning to their spots. Olivia was ready for the game to be done. All she wanted to do was go to bed and try to sort out her thoughts. Particularly the ones about a certain Weasley twin. 

As George stood to take his turn, Oliva felt numb. She decided that while he was in the broom closet with whomever the bottle landed on, she would sneak up to the dormitory.  _ I should have never joined this stupid game. _

The bottle spun haphazardly, wobbling as it slowed, landing on her. 

Chaos exploded around Olivia. Angelina and Alicia took her by the arms and pulled her to the open closet doors, ignoring her protests. She was flung into the tight space, nearly tripping on her own feet. George followed, arms flailing as Fred and Lee forced him through the door. Lee quickly slammed it shut. 

The space grew dark, a small crack of light underneath the door was the only light source. George lunged at the door, searching for a door handle. Finding no handle, he began pounding on the door with his palm. “Oi! Let us out! This isn’t funny!”

“You got seven minutes!” came Fred’s muffled voice. 

“Please, let us out!” Olivia pleaded, pounding on the door herself. 

“Make that ten minutes, now!” Fred shouted.

George groaned and slid to the floor. Faint chants of “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” came from behind the door. 

Oliva joined Geroge on the floor. She sighed, “Think we can just lie and say we did?”

“I heard that!” came Lee’s muffled voice. 

George pounded on the door with his fist, “Stop listening in, you pervert!” 

They sat in darkness, the smell of polished wood filled the small space. Olivia nervously twisted the ends of her hair. “George, would it really be so bad?”

“What do you mean?”

“If we kissed.” Olivia was hesitant. She wasn’t sure her feelings could handle kissing him, even just for a game, but there seemed no other choice at the moment. It was likely that Fred would keep them in her until they actually kissed or he got bored. And Fred could be scarily persistent when he wanted to be. 

George stood suddenly. “Nope. Not doing that,” his voice tense. He paced to the back of the closet, as far away from her as he could get. 

Olivia’s heart sank. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was so repulsive,” she snapped. She tightened her arms around her chest and glowered at the floor. 

“No,” George groaned. “I didn’t mean it like that.” As her eyes adjusted to the dark, Oliva could see George ruffling his hair in frustration. 

“What are you afraid of?” Olivia exclaimed. “You wanna get out of here?” She gestured to the closet, nearly knocking over a broomstick. 

“Yes!” 

“Then let’s kiss and get it over with!”

“Fine!” George paced over to her and lifted her to her feet. 

Olivia stared up at him, the heat of his body washing over her. She felt her pulse quicken as she smelled chocolate, fresh air and a faint hint of firework smoke. A few weeks ago, they had discussed Amortentia in potions. There had been a freshly brewed batch for the class to smell. She hadn’t been able to place the fragrances until now. 

George awkwardly placed his hands on her waist, then quickly withdrew them. He tried again, taking a firm, but gentle hold of her shoulders. “This is impossible!” He shook his head and threw his hands in the air. 

Olivia bowed her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “George, it’s not a big deal. We’re friends!”

“This isn’t how I would want it to be!” George threw his arms wide, gesturing to the closet walls. 

Olivia stared at him. “What do you mean by that?”

George paused, his eyes wide. “Nothing. I meant nothing.” He hastily paced past her to the door. Pounding on the door with his fist, he cried out, “Lee! You have to open the door! Olivia passed out!”

Olivia stared at him in horror as the door was hurled open. The faces of everyone from the party stared back at her. George pushed past them, ignoring Lee’s questions and Fred’s protests, leaving Olivia far behind. 

Gingerly, Olivia stepped out of the closet. Angelina appeared at her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Olivia, are you alright? What happened in there?”

Shaking her head slowly, Olivia whispered, “I’m not sure.” She stepped out of Angelina’s grip and made her way past the crowd. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her as she made her way to the dormitory staircase. Embarrassment welled up inside her.  _ What the hell happened in there? _ Olivia couldn’t seem to fully process George’s actions.  _ Why was he so upset? _

Tears began to collect in the corners of her eyes as she reached the staircase. She ran the rest of her way to her dormitory. All she wanted was to be alone and crawl into her bed. And while she may not know why George had acted the way he had, she did know that she was not going to be able to speak to him for a very long time. 


	2. Chapter 2

A week had passed since the disaster at the party and Olivia and George still had not said a word to each other. 

Olivia did her best to ignore the whispers that had followed that night. Seeing as most of her year and the year above her had attended the party, there were several rumors and speculations floating around as to why George had fled the closet. 

While sitting in potions, Olivia had overheard the two Hufflepuffs sitting behind her suggesting that she was such an awful kisser that George had ran for his life. She had ignored them, though the fact that people were openly gossiping about her did sting. However, the gossip did not sting nearly as much as George’s avoidance of her. 

The morning after the party, Olivia had decided that not speaking to George was going to be impossible for her to do. And rather childish. After getting showered and dressed, she had sat on the couch in front of the common room fireplace to wait for George to come down for breakfast. It was their normal routine, but she was primarily hoping to pull him aside and talk about what had happened. 

She had waited for nearly an hour when Fred and George appeared from the staircase. Olivia had stood to greet George, but before she could even speak, he had walked straight past her and out the portrait hole. Fred had glanced at her in sympathy before he disappeared after George. Stunned by George’s behavior, Olivia had decided that she was not going to be seeking out George Weasley to reconcile. When he was ready to man up and actually speak to her, he could come find her. 

After tearfully telling Alicia about George’s icy behavior, Alicia, Angelina and Katie became her constant support. They ate meals with her in the Great Hall, as far away from George as possible. Angelina also became Olivia’s new Transfiguration partner, as George took a seat towards the back of class, instead of their usual second row spots. 

“He’s being a real ass,” Alicia stated as she and Olivia climbed the stairs to the Owlery. Alicia had to send a letter to her parents and had asked Olivia to tag along. Needing a break from studying, Olivia had agreed. 

“I just wish I knew what I did wrong,” Olivia groaned, taking the last of the stone steps of the winding staircase. 

Alicia swung open the Owlery door, the dusty smell of owls and owl droppings wafted over them. “You didn’t do anything wrong, though. Lee and Fred weren’t going to let you out of that closet unless you two kissed! They told me so.” The two girls wandered over to where Alicia’ barn owl was perched, snoozing peacefully. 

Olivia leaned against the wall, staring up the ceiling, watching a screech owl fly out of one of the many Owlery windows. “Alicia, I just miss him. I miss my friend. And I feel like he would have missed me by now too, or I never really mattered all that much to him.” Olivia swallowed back a few tears. She had been a blubbery baby the past week. As hard as she tried to hide her frustrations, they kept bubbling to the surface. 

Alicia turned to her, pausing from coaxing her owl awake. Her expression was gentle, “Olivia, don’t say that. We all know you matter to him. Why would he insist on helping you all the time? I can’t even get the boy to put away the quaffle for me at practices!” 

A laugh escaped from Olivia that quickly turned to a sob. 

“Hey, none of that!” Alicia exclaimed. She pulled Olivia in, running her hand comfortingly in circles on her back. “It’s all going to be okay.”

Olivia sniffed, “Alicia...I just want us to be friends again.”

“I know. He’s just got to sort himself out first.”

“And I think I have feelings for him…” 

“Oh...you poor thing.”

When the two friends had returned from the Owlery to the Common Room, it had begun to grow dark. The last beams of sunlight were slowly disappearing from the sky, casting a hazy glow over the school grounds. 

The Common Room was bustling with activity. Clusters of Gryffindors were gathered at available tables to study for exams, but as it was the weekend, the noise levels were far above Olivia’s liking. She wouldn’t be able to focus on studying with everyone’s chatter buzzing in her ears. Before she had gone to the Owlery, Olivia had been studying on the couch by the fireplace. She had left her books and notes there, thinking no one would disturb them, but a group of first years now occupied the space. Alicia wandered off to speak with Oliver Wood while Olivia approached the third years, asking if they had seen her notes. 

“I think one of the Weasley twins took them upstairs,” said a freckled first year girl, pointing to the staircase. 

Olivia groaned internally.  _ If it was Geroge, how dare he touch my things! _

Thanking the first years, Olivia walked quickly to the staircase. She practically ran up the stairs, hoping her study materials would just be on her bed. 

To her surprise, her books and notes were laid out neatly on her quilt. As Olivia approached her bed, she did notice a small square of parchment spellotaped to her Potions book. A note! As she examined it, she recognized the messy handwriting immediately.  _ George… _

Olivia,

I need to talk to you. Meet me on top of the Astronomy Tower at 8pm.

-George

Olivia reread the note.  _ Why the Astronomy Tower? _

Folding up the note and placing it in her pants pocket, Oliva plopped down on her bed. She could feel her anxiety rising. Was George going to apologize and explain himself? Or was he going to confess her worst fear? That he did not care about her at all and there was no point in being friends any longer. 

Glancing at the grandfather clock on the opposite wall, Olivia read 6pm. Only two hours until she had to meet George. 

She cracked open her Charms book and tried to study. Hardly anything was sticking, though, as she kept checking the time. After an hour, Olivia gave up.  _ I’ll just get there a little early.  _

After stacking up her books neatly in her trunk at the foot of bed, Olivia threw on a dark blue sweater that Molly Weasley had knitted her when she had visited over the holidays in her fourth year. A white “O” was stitched on the chest. Olivia smiled fondly, thinking back to when she had been given the sweater. 

“You’re an honorary Weasley now!” George had exclaimed when she had shown it to him. 

It saddened her to think that depending on what George said to her on the Astronomy Tower, she might be losing her honorary Weasley status forever. 

Curfew hours had been extended for the couple of weeks before exams, so that students could have more time in the library to study. This meant that Olivia did not have to worry Filch or his shifty cat Mrs. Norris giving her any trouble for being in the corridors at night. 

As she made her way to the Astronomy Tower, Olivia tried not to imagine what George would say to her, but failed miserably. Images of George tearfully apologizing flashed in her mind for one second, only to be replaced by forcefully telling Olivia off. She could vividly hear him saying “ _ We were never really friends. I just pitied you for being such a coward all the time.” _

_ Maybe I shouldn’t go… _ Olivia paused at the bottom of the long staircase to the Astronomy Tower, the winding staircase seemed to go on forever. She could remember being a first year and making the mistake of looking down when she had gotten halfway up the staircase. She had clung to the banister, not daring to take another step as her fear of heights took hold. Fred and George had noticed her panic and had come to her aid, helping her to calm down and reminding her that she wouldn’t want to miss her first Astronomy Class. Fred had walked on ahead, showing Olivia that there was no risk, while George had put himself to the side. Acting as a barrier between Olivia and the banister so that she wouldn’t see how high they were. Olivia had stuck with them ever since that day and never had a problem climbing the stairs of the tower again.

Olivia straightened her shoulders.  _ Time to be brave.  _ She took the first step, placing a hand on the bannister rail. Whatever George said, she knew deep down that she would be okay. 

After climbing the staircase, Olivia made her way up the ladder that led to the top of the Astronomy Tower. She had many fond memories of late nights staring up at the night sky, laughing as Fred and George made up silly constellations. 

The spring air was crisp and fresh. A slight breeze brushed through her hair, carrying the sounds of crickets chirping with it. Olivia settled herself against the short stone wall that surrounded the edge of the tower, letting her head rest against the cool stone. She stared up at the sky. There was a half moon hanging high above her, stars twinkling in greeting. It took Olivia’s breath away. She silently cursed herself for not coming up here since fifth year. 

Olivia had forgotten to bring a watch, so she wasn’t sure how long she sat there by herself. There was yet to be a sign of George.  _ If this is a prank, I’ll strangle him. _

A gust of wind suddenly swept past Olivia, causing her hair to fly over her face. She spat out the strands that had gotten in her mouth and brushed the rest out of her eyes. Glancing up, she saw George circling in the air on his broom. He suddenly dove, landing a few feet in front of her. 

George dismounted his broom, running a hand through his windswept red hair. He turned to Olivia, the moonlight illuminating his pale skin. Olivia noticed dark circles under his eyes. The smile he gave her was small, cautious. Nothing like his usual impish grins. 

“Hi,” he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 

“Hi, George.” Olivia got up, dusting off her jeans. 

They stared at each other for a few moments before George cleared his throat. “So you got my note.” he stated awkwardly. 

“Yes, I did.” Olivia said tightly. She folded her arms over her chest. 

George cleared his throat again and shuffled his left foot. Olivia had never seen him look uncertain. “H-How have you been, Olivia?”

“Excuse me?” There was an edge to Olivia’s voice and she didn’t care. 

George took a small step toward her, “I’ve been worried about you.”

Olivia unconsciously took a step back, maintaining distance between George and her. “You have a funny way of showing that you’ve been worried about me, George Weasley. You’ve been an ass.”

George winced. “Yeah, I deserve that.” He kicked at a loose rock, remaining silent. 

Sighing, Olivia unfolded her arms, “Are you actually going to tell me what’s been going on with you or are we wasting our time here? In case you’ve forgotten, exams are coming up and I could be studying right now.” 

When he didn’t answer right away, Olivia moved to the ladder door.  _ This is ridiculous.  _ She wasn’t to stand around and beg for an explanation. 

“Olivia, wait!” George blurted out. 

She turned to him, looking at him expectantly. “What?”

Taking a deep breath, George stared up at the sky. “I know I haven’t been fair to you this past week.” He lowered his head and looked her in the eyes, “I’m sorry I kept ignoring you. That wasn’t right.”

Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose, “I just don’t understand. What did I do wrong?” Angry tears were starting to gather in her eyes. She did her best to blink them away. She didn’t want to cry. Not right now. 

George walked to her, warily putting his hands on her shoulders. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Olivia. It was all me.” Noticing the tears, George threw caution to the wind and drew her into his chest. He hugged her tight, swaying slowly side to side. 

As he held her, Olivia’s anger died and dimmed to sadness. A sob escaped her. 

“Please don’t cry,” he whispered. “I really messed up.”

A small laugh fell out of Olivia, “Yeah, you really did.”

George drew her back from his chest, examining her, his eyes earnest. “I really want to explain everything. That’s why I asked you to meet me here. But I wanted to do something else too…”

Olivia cocked her head to the side, “Like what?”

George gave her a mischievous grin, “I want to take you out on the broom.”


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia gaped at him, “Out on the broom? George! That’s crazy!”

George chuckled, “Crazy would be making you fly blindfolded by yourself.” 

“Did it slip your mind that I’m afraid of heights, George?”

“Of course,” George scoffed. “But you’ll be with me and I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you.” He gestured to his broomstick. “What do you say? Fly with me?”

Staring at the broom apprehensively, Olivia pondered the likelihood of her plummeting to her death. “Are you pranking me?” She said suddenly. 

“Of course not!” George laughed. “This is just something I always wanted to do.”

“To fly with me?” Olivia asked, surprised. 

George’s cheeks flushed a faint red, “Well, yeah.”

After a few moments of thought, Olivia sighed, “Alright, I’ll do it.”

Grinning, George extended a hand to her, “Right this way, then!”

Olivia ignored his hand, but moved closer. “How are we doing this?” Looking closer at the broomstick, she observed that it was much longer than the quidditch brooms she saw Geroge and her other friends fly around on at matches. “Wait, this isn’t your Quidditch broom.”

“Very observant! This is a tandem broom. Found it in the back of the broom cupboard.”

Olivia internally winced at the mention of the broom cupboard. “You’re sure it’s safe?” She cautiously ran her fingers down the broom handle, examining it for signs of damage or extreme wear. 

George pulled it out of her reach, “Of course! Nothing bet the best for you, Shorty.” He reached out his hand as if to ruffle her hair, but Olivia’s glare made him withdraw. He cleared his throat, “Right.” He lowered the broom, letting it float horizontally about hip height in the air. With practiced form, he settled himself onto the broom and adjusted his grip. “You’ll want to sit behind me.” George explained. 

“What if I slip off?” Olivia asked hesitantly, rethinking her decision. 

“You won’t if you hold onto me,” George winked cheekily at her. 

Olivia rolled her eyes, but cautiously approached the broom. She swung her right leg over the broomstick, holding onto George’s shoulder for balance. When she believed she was situated, she gripped onto George’s shoulders with both of her hands. “Okay, I think I’m ready.”

George shook his head and glanced back at her, “You’re going to want to hold on around my waist. You’ll be less likely to fall.”

Olivia grudgingly did as he said, resting her left cheek on his back, thankful he couldn’t see her blush. “Like this?”

“Much better!” George leaned forward slightly and the broomstick slowly moved forward. “And we’re off!”

Olivia did her best not to scream as the broomstick rose in the air and surged forward. They flew right over the edge of the Astronomy Tower, leaving safety far behind. Olivia clenched her eyes shut and pulled herself tighter to George. The wind whistled past and swept through her hair. She shivered slightly, from cold or adrenaline, she wasn’t sure. 

The broom began to lean slightly to the right, making Olivia gasp in fright. 

“We’re alright,” George said encouragingly. “Are your eyes open?”

“No,” Olivia admitted. 

George laughed, “Well open them! You’re missing all the fun!”

Olivia slowly opened her eyes, gasping in awe when she saw the full view. They were sailing over the trees of the Forbidden Forest, a sea of green that went on for miles. The stars and moon rippled reflectively over the lake off to the left, looking as sleek as a silver plate. “This is amazing,” Olivia whispered. 

“I’m glad you think so.”

George pulled the broom into a large circle, sloping them upwards. Olivia held him tighter, feeling a small pang of unease at the rise of altitude. She did her best to take deep breaths and slow her pounding heartbeat. She wanted to enjoy this. 

They coasted off towards the lake, the trees rushing past beneath their feet. 

“Hey, Olivia.”

“What?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Sort of.”

“Good enough!” George exclaimed and sped up the broom, taking them right over the lake. 

“Oh, Merlin!” Olivia cried, burying her face in George’s shirt. “What are you doing?”

“Just trust me!” George called back. 

They flew on, Olivia finally gaining the courage to lift her head and glance down at the water below. Small waves rolled beneath them, their reflections a black blur on the surface. She looked up at the sky, reveling in the beauty of the stars. She imagined for a second that George and her were a shooting star, flying far over the earth. She giggled.

“What’s so funny back there?” George teased. 

Olivia smiled, “Nothing. Just enjoying myself.”

“Excellent! See that small island up ahead?” 

Glancing over his shoulder, Olivia spotted a rocky island about the length of a train car with a few trees clinging to the top. “Yeah, what about it?”

“Hang on!” George shouted, sending the broom into a dive. The wind roared past Olivia’s ears as she screamed. She clung to George as they descended faster and faster, the island growing in size as they approached. Olivia was positive that they were going to crash! 

But George pulled up on the broom right as they were about to hit a tree and allowed them to lower slowly to the ground. 

As soon as they landed, Olivia dismounted from the broom. Her legs wobbled and she let herself drop to her knees on the rocky ground. She took deep breaths in an attempt to settle her pounding heart. 

“You alright, Shorty?” George rubbed her shoulder soothingly. 

“I’m-I’m going to kill you,” Olivia managed to say. That dive had been totally unnecessary. 

George laughed and ruffled her hair, “If you are going to kill me, you should do it after I take you back to Hogwarts. You can’t fly back without me.”

Olivia scoffed, “I’d figure something out.”

“I’m sure you would! But come here, I want to show you something.”

Olivia stood and turned around. George had begun to walk through the trees to the opposite side of the island. “Where are you going?”

“Just follow me, Shorty. You’ll see.” 

Shaking her head, Olivia paced after George, being careful to not trip as she made her way over the rocky terrain. George had climbed down a small cliff at the edge of the island, disappearing from view. Oliva walked a bit faster and peered down at him. Her eyes widened in surprise. George was sitting on a plaid blanket that was laid out on the large boulders that met the edge of the lake. A small basket rested at his side. 

“Come on!” He waved to her, smiling. 

Olivia climbed down, which turned out to be easy enough as there were boulders jutting out of the cliff that made a natural staircase. As she neared George, he reached into the basket and pulled out a sandwich. “Hungry?” he asked as he held it out to her. 

“Sure.” Olivia took the sandwich and settled down next to George. She nibbled at it as George pulled out his own sandwich and two bottles of pumpkin juice, arranging them nicely on the blanket. 

Unsure of what to say now that she and George were not on the broom, Olivia stared out over the lake. It was peaceful, the reflections of the nearby mountains were calm on the water. Not a wave or ripple in sight. 

Olivia decided to break the silence, “So how did all this get here?” She gestured to the blanket and the snacks. 

George flushed, “I flew them out here earlier today.” He picked up a flat stone and flicked his wrist. He watched it skip across the water, the ripples it made disturbing the reflections of the stars. 

“Why?” Olivia turned to face him, pulling her knees to her chest. “Why all of this?”

George returned her gaze, his eyes a bit sad. “Because I owe you an apology. I’ve been an ass.”

Olivia scoffed. “Yeah, you have.”

“You don’t have to agree with me,” he chuckled.

“It’s the truth,” Olivia shrugged. 

“Yeah, I know,” George rubbed at the back of his neck. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for what happened at the party. And ignoring you after it. You didn’t deserve that.”

Olivia felt the wall that she had put up between them begin to crumble. “What happened, George? I don’t understand.”

George ran a hand through his red hair and sighed, “I just couldn’t kiss you in that closet.”

Hurt flared in Olivia’s heart. “I see…” She stared back out at the lake, forcing down the tears that had begun to surface. She hadn’t fully realized until that moment how much she wanted George. Not just his friendship, but his heart. And as soon as that realization had come, any hope had been snatched away.  _ He doesn’t want me like I want him… _

“Hey!” George’s eyes widened. He reached over and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her to his chest. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m really messing this up.”

Olivia blinked, stunned and confused. She pulled away in frustration, positioning herself to face him directly. “Then what are you trying to say?”

George stared down, cautiously taking her hand. Olivia felt small shivers at the ends of her fingers. He looked up into her eyes. “Olivia, I have feelings for you…”

“What?” Olivia furrowed her brows and removed her hand from his. “You’re not making any sense!” She rose to her feet and walked to the edge of the rock. In the water’s reflection, she saw George approach her from behind. 

“How can you say you have feelings for me when you’ve been avoiding me?” she asked his reflection, refusing to acknowledge him as he placed his hands on her shoulders. 

George rested his head on her shoulder, “I’m sorry about that. I was trying to sort out how I felt. I didn’t really notice how much I liked you until that party.”

“What do you mean?” Olivia decided to acknowledge him, leaning her head against his.

“When Douglas’ bottle landed on you, I got...jealous. I realized I wanted to be in his place and I didn’t want him or anyone else to kiss you.”

Olivia frowned, “George, that makes no sense. You had a chance to kiss me and you didn’t take it.”

George pulled her to face him. He slowly ran his hand through the ends of her hair, “I couldn’t let our first kiss be in a broom closet with a bunch of people right outside. You deserve better than that.” He was staring at her intently. And a little hopefully...

“What do I deserve then?” Olivia felt herself give George a soft smile as he pulled her a bit closer to him.

“Something nicer,” he whispered, their lips meeting as he finished his sentence. 

Olivia savored the feel of his lips, so soft against hers. So gentle and full of promise. 

When they parted, George rested his forehead against hers. “Am I forgiven, then?” He grinned cheekily. 

Olivia smirked. Feeling brave, she said, “I don’t think one kiss is going to cut it.”

George laughed. All the tension between them had disappeared. “Well, I will kiss you as many times as it takes. No bottles required.”

As he kissed her again, Olivia felt her heart lighten. She was looking forward to the many more kisses to come. 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own anything Harry Potter related.


End file.
